SETimes.comTight, contentious election campaign begins in Croatia
05/11/2007
The HDZ and SDP parties are locked in a battle so close that some are discussing the possibility of a broad coalition.
By Natasa Radic for Southeast European Times in Zagreb - 05/11/07
The race ahead of the November 25th parliamentary elections is in a dead heat, according to the latest polls. The Puls agency finds that the ruling centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and their main rivals on the left, the Social Democrats (SDP), each have 30.3% of voter support.
The campaign officially began on Saturday (November 3rd), the deadline for all candidates to submit their lists to the State Electoral Committee. During the next three weeks, the candidates will tour Croatia, hold rallies and urge voters to participate.
Because the race is so close, analysts are speculating about the possibility of a HDZ-SDP coalition, or a so-called "blue and red" coalition. It would be a first for Croatia.
President Stipe Mesic was the first to mention this possibility saying that otherwise it might be difficult for the election winner to form a government.
If a broad coalition is in store, there is little sign of it now. Both parties have dismissed the idea, and the campaign so far has been acrimonious. HDZ, for instance, has been using billboards divided into red (representing the SDP) and blue (HDZ). The blue side advertises HDZ successes, while the red shows clumsily phrased SDP statements opposing the ruling party's policies.
The SDP, at first, opted for the high road, concentrating on its own platform rather than attacking the HDZ. However, the party was angered by claims that SDP candidate Ljubo Jurcic had initially offered his support to the HDZ in exchange for a parliamentary seat.
"I have never offered myself to anyone, not even HDZ," Jurcic insisted.
In fact, the assistant economy minister portfolio in Prime Minister Ivo Sanader's government was offered to Jurcic, who was a cabinet member in the previous administration. Jurcic, however, refused it.
Neither party has revealed how much money it will spend in the campaign or the names of major donors, but have promised to do so after the elections.
According to the State Election Commission, a total of 3,585 people have registered as candidates for parliament, the Sabor. They range in age from 18 to 89, and nearly 30% of them are women.
Croatia has ten electoral units, with each providing 15 members of parliament. The diaspora have 12 seats, and national minorities eight. To gain representation in parliament, a political party must obtain more than 5% of the votes.